Everything You Wanted to Know About the No Child Left Behind Act
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The Public Education Network (PEN), working in conjunction with the National Coalition for Parent Involvement in Education (NCPIE), has developed simple, easy-to- understand materials that community leaders and parents all over the country have requested to translate the requirements and demands made by this very complex 1,000 page law.
This new NCLB web portal is especially valuable to educators, the media, policymakers, elected officials, business organizations, and civil rights and civic organizations.
The purpose of providing this information is not to take a position on the law, but to encourage deep understanding the law, so that local communities are enabled to make their own judgments about how effective the law is in their own states and school districts.
The action briefs are written in easy-to-use language focused on specific sections of the law and include pertinent regulations, a glossary of terms, action steps, and additional resources.
Examples of action brief topics include: Understanding Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP); Programs of English Language Learners; Armed Forces Recruiter Access; Charter Schools; Education of Homeless Students; State and Local Report Cards; Public School Choice; Teacher Quality; and many others written in simple language with numerous "action tips" to encourage local advocacy and education improvement.
The hearings were designed to gain grassroots and civic input on the law from groups often left out of the policy debate, yet profoundly impacted by its implementation.
Parents and community leaders indicated that discrepancies between state and federal measures of school progress have created a deep mistrust of high-stakes tests and other NCLB indicators as accurate assessments of school performance.
And, they believe that accountability must be expanded to include additional measures of school and student progress, developed with the input of local educators, parents, and the community.
Americans are also angered by the labeling of schools as "in need of improvement" because they say that this label erodes public support for these schools.
The complete national report, as well as the individual state reports, is available online at www.PublicEducation.org.
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